Shoumita Dasgupta PhD A Case Study of Boston Universitys Graduate Medical Sciences Curriculum Reform The initial context Prospective students Anatomy and Neurobiology Biochemistry Biophysics ID: 1010054
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1. A Doctoral Curriculum in Transition Shoumita Dasgupta, Ph.D.A Case Study of Boston University’s Graduate Medical Sciences Curriculum Reform
2. The initial context
3. Prospective studentsAnatomyandNeurobiologyBiochemistryBiophysicsOral BiologyPathologyPharmacologyMicrobiologyPhysiologyDepartmental Programs
4. Prospective studentsAnatomyandNeurobiologyBiochemistryBiophysicsOral BiologyPathologyPharmacologyMicrobiologyPhysiologyDepartmental ProgramsInterdepartmental ProgramsBehavioralNeuroscienceBiomedicalNeuroscienceCell andMolecularBiologyImmunologyTrainingProgramMedicalNutritionSciencesMolecularMedicineGeneticsandGenomics
5. Curricular overlap: BiochemistryAnatomyandNeurobiologyBiochemistryBiophysicsOral BiologyPathologyPharmacologyMicrobiologyPhysiologyDepartmental ProgramsInterdepartmental ProgramsBehavioralNeuroscienceBiomedicalNeuroscienceCell andMolecularBiologyImmunologyTrainingProgramMedicalNutritionSciencesMolecularMedicineGeneticsandGenomics
6. Curricular overlap: Cell BiologyAnatomyandNeurobiologyBiochemistryBiophysicsOral BiologyPathologyPharmacologyMicrobiologyPhysiologyDepartmental ProgramsInterdepartmental ProgramsBehavioralNeuroscienceBiomedicalNeuroscienceCell andMolecularBiologyImmunologyTrainingProgramMedicalNutritionSciencesMolecularMedicineGeneticsandGenomics
7. Curricular overlap: Molecular BiologyAnatomyandNeurobiologyBiochemistryBiophysicsOral BiologyPathologyPharmacologyMicrobiologyPhysiologyDepartmental ProgramsInterdepartmental ProgramsBehavioralNeuroscienceBiomedicalNeuroscienceCell andMolecularBiologyImmunologyTrainingProgramMedicalNutritionSciencesMolecularMedicineGeneticsandGenomics
8. Curricular overlap: Genetics and GenomicsAnatomyandNeurobiologyBiochemistryBiophysicsOral BiologyPathologyPharmacologyMicrobiologyPhysiologyDepartmental ProgramsInterdepartmental ProgramsBehavioralNeuroscienceBiomedicalNeuroscienceCell andMolecularBiologyImmunologyTrainingProgramMedicalNutritionSciencesMolecularMedicineGeneticsandGenomics
9. Peaceful coexistence
10. Historical clutterNo room perceived in old curricula for new courses
11. Convergent evolutionOld courses added similar new topics.
12. Adopting a new paradigm
13. Leading ChangeCreate urgency.Document students choosing other graduate schools based on presence of integrated curriculum.Identify areas of curricular redundancy. Kotter, Harvard Business School, Our Iceberg is Melting
14. Leading ChangeCreate urgency.Form a powerful coalition.Kotter, Harvard Business School, Our Iceberg is Melting
15. Stakeholders from programs affected by curricular overlapAnatomyandNeurobiologyBiochemistryBiophysicsOral BiologyPathologyPharmacologyMicrobiologyPhysiologyDepartmental ProgramsInterdepartmental ProgramsBehavioralNeuroscienceBiomedicalNeuroscienceCell andMolecularBiologyImmunologyTrainingProgramMedicalNutritionSciencesMolecularMedicineGeneticsandGenomics
16. Leading ChangeCreate urgency.Form a powerful coalition.Create a vision for change.Charge Integrated Curriculum Committee to determine core values for curricular reform.Kotter, Harvard Business School, Our Iceberg is Melting
17. Leading ChangeCreate urgency.Form a powerful coalition.Create a vision for change.Communicate the vision.Reach out to key stakeholders (e.g. Departmental chairs & Program directors) individually.Create opportunities to share the curriculum vision publically through retreats, faculty meetings, and web sites.Kotter, Harvard Business School, Our Iceberg is Melting
18. Leading ChangeCreate urgency.Form a powerful coalition.Create a vision for change.Communicate the vision.Remove obstacles.Open dialog to help stakeholders embrace change.Kotter, Harvard Business School, Our Iceberg is Melting
19. Leading ChangeCreate urgency.Form a powerful coalition.Create a vision for change.Communicate the vision.Remove obstacles.Create short term wins.Recognition for incremental achievements such as creation of curriculum outline, identification of module directors, completion of first year, etc.Kotter, Harvard Business School, Our Iceberg is Melting
20. Leading ChangeCreate urgency.Form a powerful coalition.Create a vision for change.Communicate the vision.Remove obstacles.Create short term wins.Build on the change.Empower module directors to begin detailed course design.Kotter, Harvard Business School, Our Iceberg is Melting
21. Leading ChangeKotter, Harvard Business School, Our Iceberg is MeltingCreate urgency.Form a powerful coalition.Create a vision for change.Communicate the vision.Remove obstacles.Create short term wins.Build on the change.Anchor the changes in institutional culture.Move to formally approve courses.Create curriculum oversight body in FiBS Steering CommitteeImplement standard student and peer course eval processes.
22. Foundations in Biomedical Sciences:Why should we move to an integrated curriculum?Encourage students to think in a rigorous and interdisciplinary fashionCoordinate content across courses and programsReduce redundancy in course contentDecrease lecture hoursPromote collegiality among participating doctoral studentsCompete with peer institutions to recruit prospective students
23. Foundations in Biomedical Sciences:Key features of the integrated curriculumA critical thinking component is integrated into each module. (e.g. paper discussions, problem-solving sessions, bioinformatics workshops, etc)Critical thinking activities are carried out in small (6-8 members + 1 facilitator) break-out groupsEach module has a separate course number, exam(s), and grade.Each module has a course director who sits on a curriculum steering committee with the other module course directors.
24. Module I:Protein Structure, Catalysis, and Interactions Module II: Structure and Function of the Genome Module III: Architecture and Dynamics of the Cell Module IV: Mechanisms of Cell CommunicationFoundations in Biomedical Sciences: A Core Curriculum for GMS Doctoral StudentsProgram-specific course(s): 4-6 creditsProgram-specific course(s): 4-8 credits2 credits2 credits2 credits2 credits2-4 creditsTranslational Genetics and GenomicsMolecular MetabolismPhysiology of Specialized CellsOptional electives: Fall SemesterSpring Semester
25. Foundations in Biomedical Sciences:Key features of the integrated curriculumStudents are able to take program-specific courses beginning with their first semester of study.A grant writing course is being piloted for the second year of doctoral study.Formalized, anonymous course evaluations are standard practice for all modulesThis structure provides more opportunities for students to teachIndividual programs can choose to opt into this curriculum
26. Foundations in Biomedical Sciences:Feedback from the first implementation “Overall I really enjoyed the course. It caused us to work really hard and forced us to apply the information presented to us to different problems that we were given. It was challenging, yes, but I feel as though I have learned a lot from it and I hope this class continues for years to come.” “Comparing this module to last year's course, I think this is a huge improvement. It was very well-organized, the lectures flowed together very smoothly, and the lecturers themselves were excellent at teaching their subjects…Thank you to all of the professors and the course directors for an excellent job.”
27. Foundations in Biomedical Sciences:Feedback from the first implementation “I thoroughly enjoyed both the pace and format of this module, especially using last year’s curriculum as a reference point.” “I'd like to stress that I enjoyed each module, I thought each was well run and was successful in giving first year students a vital knowledge base that truly is interdisciplinary.” “I'd like to thank every faculty member and TA associated with this course. It has made me think in a different way when approaching my work at the bench, and is making me a more complete researcher.”
28. The new context
29. Prospective studentsAnatomyandNeurobiologyBiochemistryBiophysicsOral BiologyPathologyPharmacologyMicrobiologyPhysiologyDepartmental ProgramsProgram in Biomedical Sciences StudentsLabsInterdepartmental ProgramsBehavioralNeuroscienceBiomedicalNeuroscienceCell andMolecularBiologyImmunologyTrainingProgramMedicalNutritionSciencesMolecularMedicineGeneticsandGenomics
30. AcknowledgementsBoston University, Division of Graduate Medical SciencesLinda Hyman, Associate ProvostKaren Symes, Foundations Co-directorGMS studentsGMS Graduate Program Directors, Chairs, and Representatives